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From Farmworker to Astronaut / De Campesino a Astronauta: My Path to the Stars / Mi viaje a las estrellas
Ten-year-old Jose M. Hernandez watched the Apollo 17 moonwalks on his family s black and white television in 1972 and knew what he wanted to be when he grew an astronaut. Later that night he told his father and was surprised when his dad said, You can do this, m'ijo!
Mr. Hernandez told his son that if he really wanted to become an astronaut, he would need to follow a simple, five-ingredient recipe to 1) decide what you want, 2) recognize how far you are from your goal, 3) draw a road map to get there, 4) prepare yourself with a good education, and 5) develop a good work ethic, always giving more than required.
In the years to come, Jose would follow this recipe as he obtained undergraduate and master s degrees in electrical engineering. Adding his own ingredient, perseverance, he applied to NASA s astronaut program eleven times and was rejected each time! Finally, in 2004, he was selected to be part of the 19th class of US Astronauts. He achieved his dream in 2009 when he served as the flight engineer on the Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-128 fourteen-day mission to the International Space Station.
In From Farmworker to Astronaut , Jose M. Hernandez recollects his parallel journeys, juxtaposing memories of his mission to the space station and childhood aspirations to reach the stars. His story is sure to motivate kids to set goals and reach for their own dreams.
Mr. Hernandez told his son that if he really wanted to become an astronaut, he would need to follow a simple, five-ingredient recipe to 1) decide what you want, 2) recognize how far you are from your goal, 3) draw a road map to get there, 4) prepare yourself with a good education, and 5) develop a good work ethic, always giving more than required.
In the years to come, Jose would follow this recipe as he obtained undergraduate and master s degrees in electrical engineering. Adding his own ingredient, perseverance, he applied to NASA s astronaut program eleven times and was rejected each time! Finally, in 2004, he was selected to be part of the 19th class of US Astronauts. He achieved his dream in 2009 when he served as the flight engineer on the Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-128 fourteen-day mission to the International Space Station.
In From Farmworker to Astronaut , Jose M. Hernandez recollects his parallel journeys, juxtaposing memories of his mission to the space station and childhood aspirations to reach the stars. His story is sure to motivate kids to set goals and reach for their own dreams.
384 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2019
44 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
José Moreno Hernández
3 books17 followersJosé Moreno Hernández is an American engineer and a former NASA astronaut.
Hernández was born in French Camp, California, but calls Stockton, California, his hometown. His family is from La Piedad, Michoacán, with indigenous Purépecha roots. In an August 25, 2009 conversation with President Felipe Calderón of Mexico, Hernández stated that as a child, he lived half the year in La Piedad and half in the United States. As a child, Hernández worked alongside his family and other farmworkers throughout the fields of California, harvesting crops and moving from one town to another. He attended many schools and didn't learn to speak English until he was 12. Hernández was assigned to the crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-128. He also served as chief of the Materials and Processes branch of Johnson Space Center. Hernández previously developed equipment for full-field digital mammography at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hernández left NASA in 2011.
In October 2011, Hernández announced that, at the urging of President Barack Obama, he would run as a Democrat for California's newly redrawn 10th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the national elections of 2012 he faced freshman incumbent Representative Jeff Denham in a race that was considered competitive.
Hernández was born in French Camp, California, but calls Stockton, California, his hometown. His family is from La Piedad, Michoacán, with indigenous Purépecha roots. In an August 25, 2009 conversation with President Felipe Calderón of Mexico, Hernández stated that as a child, he lived half the year in La Piedad and half in the United States. As a child, Hernández worked alongside his family and other farmworkers throughout the fields of California, harvesting crops and moving from one town to another. He attended many schools and didn't learn to speak English until he was 12. Hernández was assigned to the crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-128. He also served as chief of the Materials and Processes branch of Johnson Space Center. Hernández previously developed equipment for full-field digital mammography at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hernández left NASA in 2011.
In October 2011, Hernández announced that, at the urging of President Barack Obama, he would run as a Democrat for California's newly redrawn 10th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the national elections of 2012 he faced freshman incumbent Representative Jeff Denham in a race that was considered competitive.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 21, 2021
Jose M. Hernadez (2012)From FARMWORKER To ASTRONAUT [Review of the book From FARMWORKER To ASTRONAUT ] Good Reads. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Farmworker-Ast...
Have you thought about how people who are from a bottom class come up all away to the top?
If so this book is for you.
In this book called From FARMWORKER To ASTRONAUT, there will be a lot of emotions and a lot of imagination.
This Autobiography is based on a man called Jose A.Hernandez. A man that believed in himself and got where he wanted to go. You will see him talk about a lot of his childhood and how he got where he really wanted to go.
In this book our Main character is Jose. Jose is a man that is NASA Engineer. In his early ages, his parents came from Mexico to the US to have the “American Dream”.
He had always liked the stars at night and wanted to be an astronaut. But he knew getting there would be really hard. Working at a young age realizing it would be hard but only if he kept going to school. He was born in California and worked in the summer in Mexico picking up vegetables. Now more than ever he desired to go to outer space Jose got the help of teachers and his parents to pursue his dream, but mostly by his dad.
In this book From FARMWORKER To ASTRONAUT, the setting is mostly in space. He says that the tube is very big and not claustrophobic. He can see the other earth from that space shuttle and could barely see all the contents together. He stated that “If only the presidents from the world could see the world from here that they would change their mind.
In this autobiography, I had multiple connections about his childhood. Some pros are that he had pictures included in the book and also it was in Spanish. I don’t have any cons about From FARMWORKER To ASTRONAUT.
In conclusion, I think this autobiography was self-explanatory about how some individuals grow to be fascinating in life and change the world.
Have you thought about how people who are from a bottom class come up all away to the top?
If so this book is for you.
In this book called From FARMWORKER To ASTRONAUT, there will be a lot of emotions and a lot of imagination.
This Autobiography is based on a man called Jose A.Hernandez. A man that believed in himself and got where he wanted to go. You will see him talk about a lot of his childhood and how he got where he really wanted to go.
In this book our Main character is Jose. Jose is a man that is NASA Engineer. In his early ages, his parents came from Mexico to the US to have the “American Dream”.
He had always liked the stars at night and wanted to be an astronaut. But he knew getting there would be really hard. Working at a young age realizing it would be hard but only if he kept going to school. He was born in California and worked in the summer in Mexico picking up vegetables. Now more than ever he desired to go to outer space Jose got the help of teachers and his parents to pursue his dream, but mostly by his dad.
In this book From FARMWORKER To ASTRONAUT, the setting is mostly in space. He says that the tube is very big and not claustrophobic. He can see the other earth from that space shuttle and could barely see all the contents together. He stated that “If only the presidents from the world could see the world from here that they would change their mind.
In this autobiography, I had multiple connections about his childhood. Some pros are that he had pictures included in the book and also it was in Spanish. I don’t have any cons about From FARMWORKER To ASTRONAUT.
In conclusion, I think this autobiography was self-explanatory about how some individuals grow to be fascinating in life and change the world.
June 11, 2025
My eight-year-old nieces and my six-year-old nephew are fascinated by space and want to be astronauts when they grow up. This weekend they will be visiting the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
After reading Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery and Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission, I sent these books to them. All three of them are voracious readers, but these two books are most likely above their current reading skill ability.
I will now give them From Farmworker to Astronaut / De Campesino a Astronauta: My Path to the Stars / Mi viaje a las estrellas and I know they will love it. Their reading level will more closely match with the book. Plus, it is an incredible true story about setting big goals, creating a plan, and continually driving forward toward your dream. The author, Jose Hernandez, was turned down ELEVEN times to become an astronaut. But he persevered and later was selected to go to the International Space Station.
The big bonus about this book is that it comes in both English and Spanish.
After reading Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery and Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission, I sent these books to them. All three of them are voracious readers, but these two books are most likely above their current reading skill ability.
I will now give them From Farmworker to Astronaut / De Campesino a Astronauta: My Path to the Stars / Mi viaje a las estrellas and I know they will love it. Their reading level will more closely match with the book. Plus, it is an incredible true story about setting big goals, creating a plan, and continually driving forward toward your dream. The author, Jose Hernandez, was turned down ELEVEN times to become an astronaut. But he persevered and later was selected to go to the International Space Station.
The big bonus about this book is that it comes in both English and Spanish.
October 4, 2023
WOW… talk about persevering❣️
His 10/yr old dream realized @ age 41.
Jose’ applied/rejected 12 yrs in a row for astronaut program among 14,000 applicants.
Finely accepted for Space Shuttle “Discovery,” 2009.
Parents had 3’rd grade education, migrant workers. Jose’ & 3/siblings worked as migrant workers during their summer breaks. In 3/schools yearly, then back to Mexico for winters.
All his siblings college grads.
It’s not where you come from, but where you’re going!
Loved his fathers 5/ingredient recipe:
1- Define what u want to do in life
2- Recognize how far u r from your goal
3- Draw yourself a roadmap
4- Prepare with a good education
5- Developer a good work ethic & give more than expected
His 10/yr old dream realized @ age 41.
Jose’ applied/rejected 12 yrs in a row for astronaut program among 14,000 applicants.
Finely accepted for Space Shuttle “Discovery,” 2009.
Parents had 3’rd grade education, migrant workers. Jose’ & 3/siblings worked as migrant workers during their summer breaks. In 3/schools yearly, then back to Mexico for winters.
All his siblings college grads.
It’s not where you come from, but where you’re going!
Loved his fathers 5/ingredient recipe:
1- Define what u want to do in life
2- Recognize how far u r from your goal
3- Draw yourself a roadmap
4- Prepare with a good education
5- Developer a good work ethic & give more than expected
September 25, 2023
Mr. Hernandez, you make me feel proud of the people of my country.
This is a short book (bilingual, which I think is amazing. First in English, then the translation into Spanish), but the story it contains is huge. Saying that it was an amazing and extraordinary achievement would be an understatement.
I do wish there were more stories about his personal life, but I understand he might not want to share that.
This is a short book (bilingual, which I think is amazing. First in English, then the translation into Spanish), but the story it contains is huge. Saying that it was an amazing and extraordinary achievement would be an understatement.
I do wish there were more stories about his personal life, but I understand he might not want to share that.
December 19, 2024
My 100th book of 2024 and finally made my “astronomical” good reads goal!
The short autobiography is inspiring, and I love the flashbacks to the hardships and humble beginnings. It shows that hard work, perseverance, and a great support system can make dreams come true.
For me, I had a hard time with the the story sequence and flow. It was a little too disjointed or perhaps the audience was geared for a younger reader that I had some difficulties staying engaged in the reading.
The short autobiography is inspiring, and I love the flashbacks to the hardships and humble beginnings. It shows that hard work, perseverance, and a great support system can make dreams come true.
For me, I had a hard time with the the story sequence and flow. It was a little too disjointed or perhaps the audience was geared for a younger reader that I had some difficulties staying engaged in the reading.
March 22, 2022
Recetas para el éxito según el padre de José:
1. Define lo que quieres hacer en la vida.
2. Reconoce cuánto te falta para llegar a tu meta.
3. Traza un mapa para llegar a tu meta.
4. Prepárate para una buena educación.
5. Desarrolla una buena ética del trabajo y da más de lo que se espera de ti.
6. Ser perseverante.
1. Define lo que quieres hacer en la vida.
2. Reconoce cuánto te falta para llegar a tu meta.
3. Traza un mapa para llegar a tu meta.
4. Prepárate para una buena educación.
5. Desarrolla una buena ética del trabajo y da más de lo que se espera de ti.
6. Ser perseverante.
November 20, 2022
The same sort of propaganda as the Soviets were doing in the 1950s. How a boy with ”healthy origins” become a state bureaucrat living off the taxes collected from the poor for the glory of the billionaires.
January 20, 2021
Excellent book! I loved reading of his humble beginnings. Hopefully his next book will be a biography. Also, there was a couple of misspelled words, but overall a great book.
November 13, 2023
Really incredible person and story. His drive and passion is admirable. I wanted to know more as I was ready. Was not a big fan of the story flow but still recommend it.
February 3, 2024
Excellent book, fairly easy read but very inspirational. I really enjoyed the insight into space flight but more importantly into dreaming and achieving! Thanks for the adventure José.
February 10, 2024
My people. Inspirational.
May 2, 2023
Cookies 2023
September 10, 2023
Read for our DEI book club.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews